Ecology

Environment any (Abyss)Organization solitaryTreasure none

Special Abilities

Eye Rays (Su) A retriever’s eyes can produce four different magical rays, each with a range of 100 feet. Each round, it can fire one ray as a free action. A particular ray is usable only once every 4 rounds. A retriever can fire an eye ray in the same round that it makes physical attacks—firing an eye ray does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The save DC for eye rays is 19—the save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. The eye ray effects are the following.

Fire: Deals 12d6 fire damage (Reflex half).

Cold: Deals 12d6 cold damage (Reflex half).

Electricity: Deals 12d6 electricity damage (Reflex half).

Petrification: Target must succeed on a Fortitude save or turn to stone permanently.

Relentless (Su) A retriever is constantly under the effects of spider climb and water walk; these abilities cannot be dispelled.

Description

Not all constructs are formed from unliving matter like stone, wood, metal, or dead flesh. In the darkest corners of the Great Beyond, certain powerful demon lords have mastered the art of shaping the raw, protoplasmic flesh of the Abyss into hideous monstrosities devoid of life, emotion, and the will to resist control. The monstrous retriever is the best-known of such constructs, a huge spider-like creation capable of unleashing potent energy upon those it has been ordered to seek.

Demon lords use retrievers to seek out those who dare abandon their loyalties or flee from servitude. Often, the presence of a retriever in a demon’s den is enough in and of itself to ensure the loyalty of the lesser demons. The constructs also excel in tracking down specific objects and returning them to their masters—their intelligence is just enough to allow them to focus on their ordered tasks but not quite enough for them to form ideas of rebellion and longings for freedom.

A retriever’s body is the size of an elephant, and its legspan is nearly 30 feet. It weighs 6,500 pounds.

Conjuring a Retriever

Although a retriever is not an outsider, it may nonetheless be conjured by either greater planar ally or greater planar binding. The spellcaster must take care to do so, however, using special rare incenses and complex diagrams inked on the floor and walls using expensive phosphorescent inks, lest the retriever attack the spellcaster upon completion of the spell. These components cost 25,000 gp and replace the usual costs associated with casting either spell (including greater planar binding‘s Charisma check requirement).